As the United States is about to welcome Donald Trump’s return as its 47th president, all eyes are on the official ceremony which will swear him into office: his Inauguration.
Attended by past presidents and tech leaders (including Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk), the day – which sees President Joe Biden hand over power and Mr Trump take the presidential oath – will also feature a number of musical performances by some familiar faces.
Many musicians who have signed up to perform at the Inauguration have faced backlash from fans.
On Sunday, January 19, the Village People performed their hit Y.M.C.A. at a pre-inauguration ball for Mr Trump. Widely regarded as a gay anthem, the last original member of the group and songwriter of the song, Victor Willis, claimed it was never intended to evoke gay themes – despite its lyrics appearing to be a double entendre for life as a gay man. It came as fans criticised the group’s decision to perform for Mr Trump amid his rollback on protections for LGBTQIA+ people during his last presidency.
Keep reading to learn who will be performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration – and the backlash they’ve received.
Nelly
Known for his early 2000s hip-hop hits Hot in Herre and and Dilemma, rapper Nelly has been booked to perform at Mr Trump’s Liberty Inaugural Ball. However, as the news spread that the 50-year-old was booked to perform, fans couldn’t help but be disappointed – highlighting Mr Trump’s past of making offensive and racist comments about Black people and other ethnic minorities.
In response to his critics, Nelly told rapper Willie D during a livestream: “I’m not doing this for the money. I’m doing this cause it’s an honour. I respect the office,” he said. “I would ask [critics] to show me where he’s a white supremacist.
“This isn’t politics. The politics, for me, is over. [Trump] won! He’s the president. He’s the commander-in-chief of what I would like to say is the best country in the world... It is an honour for me to perform for the president of the United States, regardless of who is in office.”
Billy Ray Cyrus
The Achy Breaky Heart hitmaker is known for his support of Mr Trump, famously sharing an image of the pair and endorsing the president-elect during his 2024 election campaign.
The 63-year-old’s political views couldn’t be further from those of his estranged daughter, Miley, who previously called Mr Trump a “completely racist, sexist, hateful a**hole” in a 2019 interview with Vanity Fair. During a campaign rally in August, Mr Trump called out the differences in the father-daughter’s views. “Billy Ray Cyrus is here. Where is Billy Ray? He’s around here someplace, and he’s great,” the president-elect told the crowd. “He’s a conservative guy. I said, ‘How did you get such a liberal daughter? How has that happened, Billy Ray?”
Lee Greenwood
The country music theme of Mr Trump’s Inauguration is set to continue with singer and saxophonist Lee Greenwood, who will perform his signature song God Bless the U.SA. at the ceremony.
Released in 1984, the song has become a patriotic anthem and is especially popular among Republican voters. The president-elect has used the song a number of times during his political rallies over the years, with Greenwood performing the song at a the RNS Convention last year and at Mr Trump’s 2017 inauguration celebrations.
Christopher Macchio
Another returning performer is Christopher Macchio, who is set to sing The Star-Spangled Banner at the ceremony. The opera singer has previously performed at the 2020 RNC and at Mr Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally in October.
Carrie Underwood
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Former American Idol star Underwood has enjoyed a very successful country music career since winning the TV competition in 2005, winning eight Grammy Awards and a string of number one US hits. Set to sing America the Beautiful shortly before Mr Trump takes the oath of office, in a statement, Underwood said of her upcoming performance: “I love our country and am honoured to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event.”
“I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
In response to the news she was performing, fans took to social media to express their disappointment. “I expected more from Carrie Underwood,” one user wrote on X. “She always seemed like a really smart, interesting, open-minded person.”
